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Dr Stephen Russell


Stephen Russell

Senior Research Fellow

School of Engineering
University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL, UK
Room: D032

Tel: +44(0)247 615 1293

email: s dot russell at warwick dot ac dot uk


Current Research

Promoted internally by the School of Engineering due to external grant income, publications and outstanding contribution to research

  • Gallium Oxide: The Route to Low-Cost Power Converters for Automotive Application (PGC007): Principal investigator for a recently funded Advanced Propulsion Centre ‘Preparing for the Grand Challenge’ feasibility study valued at £80,000. Investigating the use of this semiconductor material for future power semiconductor devices, focussing particularly on novel material stacks and methods for thermal management.

Also working as a researcher on:

  • High Current Module and Technologies Optimised for HVDC: Funded by EPSRC in collaboration with Cambridge University, University of Strathclyde, Allstom Grid and Dynex Semiconductor Ltd. Project entails investigating the role that advanced power semiconductor module design can play in improving the efficiency and increasing the capacity of Voltage Source, HVDC converters. Project runs: 04/2016 - 04/2019

Research Interests

  • Power Electronic Semiconductor Devices - Silicon Carbide based MOSFETs and PiN Diodes
  • Other Wide Band-Gap Semiconductor Materials e.g. Diamond, Gallium Nitride & Gallium Oxide
  • Power Electronics - Spanning Grid Level (e.g. HVDC) to Automotive applications

Background

  • August 2014 - February 2017 - Research Fellow, The University of Warwick - Working on the SiCER project - Silicon Carbide for Energy Resilience: Funded by Innovate UK in collaboration with Dynex Semiconductor Ltd, Micross Component Ltd and Alstom Grid UK, Project entailed the delivery of a 10 kV SiC power MOSFET for smart grid application in voltage source converters (VSCs). Project ran: 01/04/2014 - 01/04/2017
  • June 2013-June 2014 - Research Associate, The University of Glasgow - ‘Investigation of microwave devices using diamond as a semiconductor material’ in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), University of Roma (Tor Vergata) and Polytechnic University of Turin. To produce hydrogen-terminated diamond electronic devices for future space missions.
  • 2009-2013 PhD in Electronic Engineering: Hydrogen-terminated diamond for the use in high performance electronics.

Previous Teaching

  • Co-supervision of PhD, Masters and Undergraduate research
  • 2nd year undergraduate calculus for aeronautical engineering students

Other Experience

  • Awarded a Newton Fund Researcher Links Travel Grant in July 2015. The grant covers all costs to attend a workshop in Astana, Kazakhstan from August 17th-19th entitled ‘Promotion of clean energy in resource-rich countries: case study of Kazakhstan’. Invited to present work from various projects relating to Warwick’s Energy - Global Research Priority (GRP) in a talk titled ‘Silicon Carbide Based Power Electronic Components for Energy Efficient Grid Level Electronics’.
  • Acted as a reviewer for prestigious journals such as: IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Advanced Materials Interfaces, Applied Physics Letters and Physica Status Solidi

Publications

Journal Articles:

  • D. P. Hamilton, M. R. Jennings, A. Perez-Tomas, S. A. O. Russell, C. A. Fisher and P. A. Mawby, “High temperature electrical and thermal aging performance and application considerations for SiC power DMOSFETs,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 32, No. 10, pp. 7967-7979, October 2017
  • S. A. O. Russell, A. Perez-Tomas, C. F. McConville, C. A. Fisher, D. P. Hamilton, P. A. Mawby and M. R. Jennings “Heteroepitaxial beta-Ga2O3 on 4H-SiC for an FET with Reduced Self Heating,” IEEE Journal of the Electron Devices Society, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 256-261, July 2017
  • F. Li, O. Vavasour, M. Walker, D. M. Martin, Y. K. Sharma, S. A. O. Russell, M. R. Jennings, A. Perez-Tomas and P. A. Mawby, “Physical Characterisation of 3C-SiC(001)/SiO2 Interface Using XPS,” Materials Science Forum, vol. 897, pp. 151-154, May 2017
  • T. Dai, Z. Mohammadi, S. A. O. Russell, C. A. Fisher, M. R. Jennings and P. A. Mawby, “4H-SiC Trench Structure Fabrication with Al2O3 Etching Mask,” Materials Science Forum, vol. 897, pp. 371-374, May 2017
  • S. A. O. Russell, M. R. Jennings, T. Dai, F. Li, D. P. Hamilton, C. A. Fisher, Y. K. Sharma, P. A. Mawby and A. Perez-Tomas, “Functional Oxide as an Extreme High-K Dielectric Towards 4H-SiC MOSFET Incorporation,” Materials Science Forum, vol. 897, pp. 155-158, May 2017
  • D. Hamilton, S. Hindmarsh, S. York, D. Walker, S. Russell, M. Jennings, C. Fisher and P. Mawby, “Ohmic Contact Reliability of Commercially Available SiC MOSFETs Isothermally Aged for Long Periods at 300°C in Air” Materials Science Forum, vol. 858, pp. 557-560, May 2016.
  • H. Rong, Y. K. Sharma, T. Dai, F. Li, M. R. Jennings, S. A. O. Russell, D, M. Martin and P. A. Mawby, “High Temperature Nitridation of 4H-SiC MOSFETs” Materials Science Forum, vol. 858, pp. 623-626, May 2016.
  • F. Li, Y. K. Sharma, M. R. Jennings, A. Pérez-Tomás, V. Shah, H. Rong, S. A. O. Russell, D. M. Martin and P. A. Mawby, “Improved Channel Mobility by Oxide Nitridation for N-Channel MOSFET on 3C-SiC(100)/Si” Materials Science Forum, vol. 858, pp. 667-670, May 2016.
  • Y.K. Sharma, F. Li, M.R. Jennings, C.A. Fisher, A. Pérez-Tomás, S. Thomas, D.P. Hamilton, S. A. O. Russell, and P.A. Mawby, “High Temperature Dry Oxidation (1200-1400 °C) of 3C-SiC on Silicon” Journal of Electronic Materials, vol. 44, no. 11, pp. 4167-4174, November 2015.
  • F. Cappelluti, G. Ghione, S. A. O. Russell, D. A. J. Moran, C. Verona and E. Limiti, "Investigating the Properties of Interfacial Layers in Planar Schottky Contacts on Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Through Direct Current/Small-Signal Characterization and Radial Line Small-Signal Modelling," Applied Physics Letters, vol. 106, pp. 103504-1-5, March 2015.
  • S. A. O. Russell, S. Sharabi, A. Tallaire and D. A. J. Moran, "RF Operation of Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistors: A Comparative Study," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 62, no. 3, pp. 751-756, March 2015.
  • S. A. O. Russell, L. Cao, D. Qi, A. Tallaire, K. G. Crawford, A. T. S. Wee and D. A. J. Moran, “Surface transfer doping of diamond by MoO3: A combined spectroscopic and Hall measurement study,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 103, pp. 202112-1-4, November 2013.
  • S. A. O. Russell, S. Sharabi, A. Tallaire and D. A. J. Moran, “Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistors with Cut-Off Frequency of 53 GHz”, IEEE Electron Device Letters vol. 33, no. 10, pp. 1471-1473, October 2012.
  • D. A. J. Moran, O. J. L. Fox, H. McLelland, S. Russell and P. W. May, “Scaling of Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond FETs to Sub-100-nm Gate Dimensions”, IEEE Electron Device Letters vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 599-601, May 2011.

 

Invited Talks:

  • S. Russell, “SiCER: Silicon Carbide – The Route to Energy Resilience,” Chongqing-Warwick Collaboration Workshop, Chongqing University, China. June 2016.
  • S. Russell, S. Sharabi, A. Tallaire, D. Qi, A. Wee and D. A. J. Moran, “Recent Progress and Future Challenges in Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistor Technology,” Hasselt Diamond Workshop SBDD XVIII, Hasselt, Belgium. February 2013.

Conference Proceedings:

  • S. Russell, “Silicon Carbide Based Power Electronic Components for Energy Efficient Grid Level Electronics,” Promotion of clean energy in resource-rich countries: case study of Kazakhstan, Astana, Kazakhstan. August 2015
  • S. A. O. Russell, D. A. J. Moran, C. Verona, E. Limiti, F. Cappelluti, G. Ghione and A. Barnes, “Single-Crystal Diamond Microwave Devices for Space Applications,” 9th European Microwave Integrated Circuit Conference (EuMIC), Rome, Italy. 5th-10th October 2014. pp. 154-157
  • E. Limiti, W. Ciccognani, S. Colangeli, F. Di Pietrantonio, C. Verona, G. Ghione, F. Cappelluti, V. Camarchia, D. Moran, S. Russell, A. Barnes, "Fabrication and Performance of Microwave Diamond Devices for Space Applications," 7th Wide Band Gap Semiconductor and Components Workshop, Frescati, Italy. 11th-12 September 2014. pp. 97-101
  • K. G. Crawford, S. A. O. Russell, D. Qi, L. Cao, A. Tallaire, A. T. S. Wee and D.A.J. Moran, “Advancing Surface Transfer Doping of Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond via Deposition of MoO3,” Hasselt Diamond Workshop SBDD XIX, Hasselt, Belgium. 19th-21st February 2014.
  • K. G. Crawford, S. A. O. Russell, D. Qi, L. Cao, A. Tallaire, A. T. S. Wee and D. A. J. Moran, “Advancing Surface Transfer Doping of Hydrogen Terminated Diamond via Inorganic Materials,” HeTech European Workshop, Glasgow, UK. September 2013.
  • D. A. J. Moran, S. Russell, S. Sharabi, A. Tallaire, D. Qi and A. Wee, “Recent Advances in Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond FET Technology,” UK Semiconductors 2013, Sheffield, UK. July 2013.
  • S. Russell, S. Sharabi, A. Tallaire, d. Qi, A. Wee and D. A. J. Moran, “Recent Progress and Future Challenges in Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistor Technology,” Hasselt Diamond Workshop SBDD XVIII, Hasselt, Belgium. February 2013.
  • S. A. O. Russell, S. Gupta, H. Gleskova, A. Tallaire and D. A. J. Moran, “The Impact of Processing on Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond TLM Structures Exposed to Atmosphere and Coasted with F16CuPc,” Hasselt Diamond Workshop SBDD XVIII, Hasselt, Belgium. February 2013.
  • D. A. J. Moran, S. A. O. Russell, S. Sharabi and A. Tallaire, “High Frequency Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistor Technology”, 12th IEEE Conference on Nanotechnology (IEEE-NANO), Birmingham, UK. 20th-23rd August 2012. pp 1-5
  • S. A. O. Russell, S. Sharabi, A. Tallaire and D. A. J. Moran, “Diamond Field Effect Transistors,” ARMMS RF & Microwave Society April 2012 Meeting, Oxfordshire, UK. 23rd-24th April 2012.
  • S. A. O. Russell, S. Sharabi, A. Tallaire, H. McLelland and D. A. J. Moran, “Scaling of Diamond FET RF Performance, Including a Cut-Off Frequency of 53 GHz,” 11th NPL Millimetre-wave Users Group Meeting, Luton, UK. 27th March 2012.
  • S. A. O. Russell, S. Sharabi, D. Macfarlane, R. Caterino, J. Garrido and D.A.J. Moran, “A Comparison Between De-Embedding Strategies for the Extraction of the RF Performance of Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond FETs,” Hasselt Diamond Workshop SBDD XVII, Hasselt, Belgium. 14th-16th March 2012.
  • D. A. J. Moran, O. J. L. Fox, H. McLelland, S. Russell and P. W. May, “Short Gate Length Surface-Channel Diamond Transistors,” HeTech European Workshop, Lille, France. November 2011.
  • D. A. J. Moran, O. J. L. Fox, H. McLelland, S. Russell and P. W. May, “Intrinsic DC Operation and Performance Potential of 50nm Gate Length Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistors,” UK Diamond Research Conference, Warwick, UK. July 2011.
  • D. A. J. Moran, O. J. L. Fox, H. McLelland, S. Russell and P. W. May, “Intrinsic DC Operation and Performance Potential of 50nm Gate Length Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistors,” 69th Annual Device Research Conference (DRC), Santa Barbara, CA, USA. 20th-22nd June 2011 pp. 137-138
  • D. A. J. Moran, O. J. L. Fox, H. McLelland, S. Russell and P. W. May, “Inspection of Intrinsic Operation and DC Performance of 50nm Gate Length Hydrogen-Terminated Diamond Field Effect Transistors Using an Optimised Fabrication Process,” Hasselt Diamond Workshop SBDD XVI, Hasselt, Belgium. February 2011.